Stricter Gun Control Law Signed By Weicker

Capping a six-month struggle for more gun control in Connecticut, Gov. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. signed a law Thursday that places new restrictions on the purchase and sale of handguns.

Weicker scrawled his name on the legislation -- most of which takes effect Oct. 1 -- only 10 hours after the Senate gave final legislative approval early Thursday morning. The 21-13 Senate vote came after an 84-62 approval in the House of Representatives during a special legislative session on guns and crime.

In the House, 19 Republicans -- mostly from affluent suburbs -- joined 65 Democrats to provide a margin of victory that surprised lawmakers who believed the issue would be decided by a handful of votes.

In a poke at the National Rifle Association, which had vigorously fought the proposal, Weicker turned to aide Angela Fitzgerald after signing the bill and said: ``Make sure a copy is sent to the NRA.''

``A loud statement has been made by Connecticut today,'' said Weicker. ``We will not have the brightest and the best killed on our streets. Anybody who does so in violation of the law that's passed is going to end up in the slammer, and the keys are going to get thrown away.''

But NRA member Robert Crook, the most prominent lobbyist for gun owners at the Capitol, said he has not given up the fight. Gun advocates, he said, are already considering filing a lawsuit to overturn the new law, and they are planning strategy for next year's legislative session. Crook said he is happy that Weicker will be leaving office in January.

``With a more friendly governor, this bill could disappear entirely in the next session,'' Crook said. ``What can be written into law can be written out of law. Hopefully, the next governor will not have an anti- gun agenda. [Weicker] didn't get what he wanted, either. He wanted to ban the carry of handguns in the state. He's not going out with any great legacy. Believe me.''

Former Rep. John G. Rowland, who is leading in the early polls for governor, wants less restrictions on gun ownership than Weicker. Rowland's choice as a candidate for lieutenant governor, Rep. Jodi Rell of Brookfield, voted against the bill, and that prompted criticism from state Democratic Party Chairman Edward Marcus.

``John Rowland, Jodi Rell and many of their Republican colleagues have a habit of talking tough on crime, but fail to act when needed,'' Marcus said Thursday.

``He's more concerned about crime control than gun control,'' Slawsky said. ``He doesn't think it's right to go after law-abiding citizens. I heard Jodi talk the other day on this, and she made the same point. Her position and John's position are really very similar.''

Rell could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The margin in the House was a sharp turnaround from the defeat of another gun control bill by a 80-68 vote in May. The turnaround included 11 legislators who had originally vowed to vote for the bill but instead voted to kill it in May.

Many legislators changed their votes, and the lobbying for the bill was intense. Rep. Edwin Garcia, a freshman legislator and Hartford police sergeant, was the target of a petition that was signed by more than 100 Hartford residents.

``We are upset that Rep. Garcia was the only member of Hartford's delegation who voted to kill the proposed gun control bill [in May],'' the petition stated.

Garcia, who voted in favor of the bill Wednesday, could not be reached for comment.

In a related development, Senate Majority Leader William DiBella said he is working to save a $4 million crime-control package that was killed in the House early Thursday morning. DiBella has worked since late April on the package, and he has held extensive discussions with Hartford's mayor and police chief in an effort to combat gang violence in the capital city.

The package, approved unanimously Wednesday by the Senate, was killed in the House when Speaker Thomas Ritter agreed with House Minority Leader Edward Krawiecki's contention that the matter was not part of the special session's agenda and thus out of order. Legislators said they believed the session should be devoted to gun control, not to spending more money from the state budget.

Ritter, who works often with DiBella as a fellow Hartford Democrat, said it was consistent with his other rulings on what may be considered by lawmakers in special session.

``I've been very tough on trying to expand any call and properly so,'' said Ritter. ``When Ed Krawiecki made the motion to say that this was not properly before us, I had no choice but to rule he was right.''

The $4 million would have paid for more police officers, prosecutors, public defenders and Superior Court judges, with the money for police and neighborhood substations going to 12 designated cities on a competitive grant basis.

Ritter said legislative leaders would explore all options, including possibly scheduling another special session to deal with the expenditure. The Senate could meet as early as next Wednesday to settle the matter.

The amendment originally did not contain the proper wording, but attorneys for both chambers changed the wording to comply with the agenda for the special session. The amendment, though, was still ruled out of order.